JUNE 1975 EMPTY CLOSET NUMBER 51 ALBANY REPORT FOCUS SodomyRepeal Bill Moves In Albany So we focus this issue on gay pride. not activ*5ly oppose the The center four pages» The news from Albany ly urged to write sta­ response to a letter an E.G. special edi­ this month is big - A1220 ting their support of from Rochesterian Michael bijl's beiing reported tion, is a comprehen­ (consensual sodomy re­ A1220 nov. Robertson, that he would out of coir.unittee. im_r sive statement of the peal) has, in a televised ^ Support in the Sen­ i^fiLflt. OIL gay movement in Roch­ vote by the Assembly ate is more problematic, ester. Produced as Codes Committee, been says Ted, and will re­ an information flyer reported out onto the quire much individual for the Speakers Bu­ Assembly floor, aiK^ may effort. S731 has been Gay Fights Military reau of the new GAY well be voted upon by amended to S731-A to per ALLIANCE of the GEN­ the time this issue ap­ mit the addition of sev­ Lenny ^!atlovich, a 12- give him a less-than- ESEE VALLEY, this pears. Ted Aldrich, NYS­ eral new co-sponsors. year Air Force sergeant honorable di scharjTc. centerfold is a handy CGO legislative consul­ Whether or not the bill is embarking on a chal­ Matlovich plans to parcel to mail to tant, believes chances is reported out of com­ lenge to the US military carry his fir.^^t to main­ family or friends. for passage in the Assem­ mittee will depend upon that promises to affect tain his career through bly are good, provided the bill's success on permanently the manner the military courts with And we have a lot that letters of support the Assembly floor and in which gays are treated the help of t.he American to be proud of. Page keep coming in to the on how much constituent in the armed services. Civil Liberti«5S Union one chronicles some legislators. In partic­ response is received. lawyers and an assigned of the most recent Serving three tours ular, constituents of To date. Senator Ander­ of duty in Vietnam with military counsel, ' breakthroughs for the Ray Lill (131st Assembly son (Republican-Conser­ movement: sodomy re- a medal for each includ­ The New York Times District) and Andrew Vir­ vative Senate Majority ing the purple heart, underscored tho impor­ pe*al in California gilio (133rd) are Leader) has stated, in and New York, suing strong­ Matlovich is the perfect tance of this case by the military for the airperson for a test carrying the story on right to serve as an case. the front page. The open gay,and a report He recently declared Times pointed out that of last month's state his homosexuality in a Matlovich's ran.k , tenure Sodomy Repeal Final letttsr to his commander - and unblemished military coalition meeting in "nd clearly stated his • record presents a "clear- Ithaca. ire and determination cut challenge by a per­ "^rnain in the milita- fect challenger." The ^^heir response was story was also c^arried A In California— ^'*ify him that they on major TV network news. .aking action to California Governor brok,cn when Lt. Gov. Brown has signed the Dymally was flown by states * consenting sexual helicopter to Sacramen­ acts bill into law. to out of a San Francisco GAGV BOARD TO EXPAND «k The bill, first intro­ fog to vote "aye" and %'. duced in 1969, voids pass the historic bill. California's century-old Opposition from police laws tfgainst sodomy, oral departments and fundamen­ The Gay Alliance board of a speaker's bureau, copulation, and adultery talist religions was of directors has announ­ media campaign, and 'for all kinds of homo­ based on biblical quota­ ced plans to increase support (financial sexual and heterosexual tions, philosophical ar­ its size^ and scope with and letter-writing) partnerships between con- guments, political con­ the addition of two at-^ for legislation affect­ LAMBDA sentiniz adults. siderations, and testi­ large representatives, ing gays. The international The California Assem­ mony by a police chief bringing the board to Future goals of tht^ symbol for Gay Liber bly passed the bill by about "the moral char­ a total of eight rep­ GAGV include the ation. a margin of 2:1, and sent acter of homosexuals." resentatives . The two acquisition of a new it to the Senate for ap­ Support for the bill The at-large repres­ gay community center, proval this May. There, came from Democrats and entatives should not hiring a.paid staff to opponents made a last- Republicans alike and be affiliated with any direct operations, ditch attempt to stop the even from a Senator who member organization. and developing a com- An important re­ bill and succeeded in is a Roman.Catholic lay Those interested in prehensive program to minder to our readers getting a tie. man. working with the GAGV assure full civil and that we will publish The seven-hour dead- Free at last! •board as an at-large human rights for Roc- only one issue for Lk was dramat representative sliould hester area gays , July and August. The contact the GACV off­ deadline for copywill State Coalition ice, 24^-8640. PENNSYLVANIA be June 25, The sum­ The GAGV is a newly- mer issue will carry formed coalition of the GOVERNOR full details of Roch­ three city-base*l organ­ Gay May In Ithaca izations (the Cay Brot­ ASSURES RIGHTS ester's Summer Cele­ • "^ . by Lemont "The Shadow" Downs bration (gay pride herhood, the Leiibian r So there I was, sitting on my porch with a li- ' Resource Center, and Pennsylvania Governor picnic) sponcored by brary bag full of "essentials," a camera, a clip­ area bars (ad p.2). the Rochester Gay Task Shapp has issued the board loaded with blank paper and a copy of stereo Force). The GACV re­ first executive order to Review, and two U.S. Government Geological Survey mains open to the in­ give equal rights to topographical maps (don't ask me why the maps - you clusion of other area gays, barring discrimi­ wouldn't believe me if X told you). It was 7:00 pm, gay groups. nation against gays in and my ride was due at 6:15. At least the sun was The GAGV has already state hiring. .This is GAY B R OTHEAHOOD shining, an unusual enough event In Rochester. formation in response to a campaign The occasion, of course, was the May 2-4 NYSCGO pledge made to Gay Raider FUND DRIVE Convention being held in Ithaca in conjunction Mark Segal last October. with their Sth annual fiay Gay Festival, and after Following ths issuance GBR MUST RAISE $ 2200- a somewhat shaky start it more than lived up to VOTER of that order. State expectations. But oh, that start! Police Commissioner Bar- FROM PERSONAL GIFTS To begin with, our car (dbnsisting of Vince REGISTRATION ger issued a statement DiSchino, Rick Caves, Jerry Marcanio and Yours that the force would not AND BENEFITS Truly) was held up by a parade in Waterloo (how Not voted in tlie past hire homosexuals. To singularly appropriate) resulting in a detour to two years, moved since test this rule, Mark Se­ Seneca Falls, which we took as a decent excuse to you last voted or have gal applied fpr the job eat. Then continuing down those exciting highways never voted? In order of state trooper, wearing GIVE! 414 and 96 we finally arrived in Ithaca at 9:30, to vote in the General his "HOW DARE YOU PRESUME only to find that our motel reservations had been Election on November I'M HETEROSEXUAL" button. YOUR DOLLARS BUY: canceled. Next we parJced on a side street and wal­ 4th, 1975, you must be - Segal was told by the ked down (and I mean down; if you can imagine a registered. Voter reg­ interviewing officer that -OFFICE SPACE city built at one end of a bathtub»you've got a istration under, the Mon­ his gayness and involve­ -6BR LIBRARY good idea of Ithaca's general configuration) to roe County Board of ment in the gay novement -PEER COUNSELING the Gay People's Center. The front door was lock-, Elections Outreach Reg­ would not disqualify him -PUBLIC IHFORNATION ed, of course. Now, as it happens, if we had taken istration Program will from the force. -LEGISLATIVE CHANGE a closer look at the sheet of instructions sent take place on Saturday, -COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP Since Segal's chal­ out to all the conferees we would have discovered June 14th from 12 Noon lenge to the anti-gay that the back door was the regular entrance, BUT to 5:00 P.M. on Oxford rule. Commissioner Barger MAIL instead off we went (naturally enough) to find the St., between Harvard St. has-> written the state meet[ing hall where the evening's guest speakers and Park Ave. during the .Tustice Department .asking were supposed to be holding forth. annual Park-Oxford if he has to mre gays. YOUR CHECK OR MONEY I have to admit that there's a certain amount Neighborhood Associa­ It Is expected the reply ORDER TO: of fun associated with wandering around a campus • tion Spring Festival. will be "yes" making as big as Cornell without knowing where you're go* Final voter registra­ Pennsylvania the first TREASURER, G.B.R. ing, particularly when there are more gorgeous tion dyas for 197 5 will staite to permit open 713 MONROE AVE. people of uncertain gender wdndering around loose ' be on October 3d, 4th gay«; on the police force.